Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce seemed to be a big fan of Jordan Rhodes in the summer, and it looked inevitable that he would switch Middlesbrough for the Villans.

The striker was linked numerous times with the Midlands outfit, however a deal never came to fruition, and he ended up joining Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent deal.

However, it's fair to say that Rhodes is not having the best of times at Hillsborough at present, and is struggling to make his mark on the first-team.

Is it fair to say Villa's failure to seal a deal for Rhodes was actually a blessing in disguise?

The writers here at FLW issue their verdicts.....

Alfie Burns

Rhodes is undoubtedly an excellent striker, but Aston Villa certainly dodged a bullet by not signing him over the summer.

Reports told us Bruce wanted the move to happen, but the emergence of Keinan Davis has justified Villa’s decision not to push a deal.

It is likely that Rhodes would have cost an enormous transfer fee, which his current form would not justify.

Chris Gallagher

Without a doubt.

Rhodes looks a shadow of the player he was and has barely found the net since his move to Hillsborough. It was a huge fee, but Bruce arguably made a similar mistake in signing Scott Hogan.

Either way, with that fee, wages and the return, Jordan Rhodes has been a dismal signing for Sheffield Wednesday. When he leaves the Yorkshire club it will be for a knockdown price.

George Dagless

It looks like Bruce has played a blinder.

Of course, he couldn't have foreseen that Rhodes would get injured as he did at the weekend but he might have felt that he wasn't going to be in form this year.

Certainly, he's been short on confidence ever since his Middlesbrough move and it is starting to become a real issue - particularly when you consider the fee Sheffield Wednesday paid for him.

Bruce has definitely dodged a bullet here but he does need another attacker.